1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to filling valve apparatuses for beverage filling machines and a mechanism for mounting the filling valve apparatus to the beverage filling machine.
2. Description of Related Art
Beverage filling machines typically include, based on size, 40, 60, 72, 100, 120, or 130 filling valve apparatuses. Each of these filling valves progressively fill a container, such as a can or bottle, with a liquid, such as water, soda, or beer. The filling valves are also used when cleaning the beverage filling machine. Typical filling valve apparatuses are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,750,533; 4,979,546; 5,944,072; and 6,076,567.
The filling valve apparatuses are typically bolted to the beverage filling machines and include a number of working components. Through repeated cycling of the filling valves, the components have a tendency to wear and must be serviced at regular intervals, such as every 1.5 million cycles. The servicing of each of the filling valves is a time consuming and expensive process. To service the filling valves, each of the filling valves must be removed from the beverage filling machine by removing a nut from a stud extending from the beverage filling machine. Taking into consideration the large number of individual filling valves, such as 72, 100, or 130 filling valves, the removal of the nuts can be a difficult and cumbersome process that can lead to lengthy down times in the operation of the beverage filling machine.
The prior art has contemplated alternative methods to mounting the filling valves to the beverage filling machines. One such alternative is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,756 and another alternative is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,159. The designs shown in the '756 and '159 patents, however, have a number of deficiencies. One deficiency is that these designs will wear over time and be less effective in holding the filling valve apparatuses in a proper position, which will lead to leaks, misalignments, etc. Also, these designs, especially the design shown in the '159 patent, will not provide an adequate clamping force against the filling valve apparatuses to ensure proper positioning is maintained during operation of the beverage filling machine.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to develop a filling valve apparatus that is adequately retained to the beverage filling machine and can be easily and efficiently removed from the beverage filling machine while avoiding the deficiencies of the prior art.